Job 33
1 But, in very deed, hear, I pray thee, Job, my discourse, and, to all my words, give thou ear.
Howbeit hear, Job, my words, and listen to my speech.
2 Lo! I pray thee, I have opened my mouth, My tongue, with my palate, hath spoken,
For behold, I have opened my mouth, and my tongue has spoken.
3 Mine utterances come straight from mine own heart, and, what I know, my lips have truly spoken;
My heart [shall be found] pure by [my] words; and the understanding of my lips shall meditate purity.
4 The spirit of GOD, hath made me, and, the inspiration of the Almighty, giveth me life.
The Divine Spirit is that which formed me, and the breath of the Almighty that which teaches me.
5 If thou art able to answer me, Set in order before me—take thy stand!
If you can, give me an answer: wait therefore; stand against me, and I [will stand] against you.
6 Lo! I am like thyself toward GOD, From clay, have I been nipped off, even I!
You are formed out of the clay as also I: we have been formed out of the same [substance].
7 Lo! my terror, will not startle thee, nor, my hand, upon thee, be heavy.
My fear shall not terrify you, neither shall my hand be heavy upon you.
8 But thou hast spoken in mine ears, and, the sound of words, I heard: —
But you have said in mine ears, (I have heard the voice of your words; ) because you say, I am pure, not having sinned;
9 Pure am, I, without transgression, —Clean am, I, and have no iniquity;
I am blameless, for I have not transgressed.
10 Lo! occasions of hostility, would he find against me, He counteth me an enemy to him;
Yet he has discovered a charge against me, and he has reckoned me as an adversary.
11 He putteth—in the stocks—my feet, He watcheth all my paths.
And he has put my foot in the stocks, and has watched all my ways.
12 Lo! in this, thou hast not been right—let me answer thee, For, GOD, is greater than, man.
For how say you, I am righteous, yet he has not listened to me? for he that is above mortals is eternal.
13 Wherefore, against him, hast thou contended? For, with none of his reasons, will he respond.
But you say, Why has he not heard every word of my cause?
14 For, in one way, GOD may speak, —and, in a second way, one may not heed it: —
For when the Lord speaks once, or a second time,
15 In a dream, a vision of the night, when a deep sleep falleth upon men, in slumberings upon the bed,
[sending] a dream, or in the meditation of the night; (as when a dreadful alarm happens to fall upon men, in slumberings on the bed: )
16 Then, uncovereth he the ear of men, and, on their correction, affixeth a seal;
then opens he the understanding of men: he scares them with such fearful visions:
17 To turn a son of earth from his deed, while yet, pride, from man he concealeth:
to turn a man from unrighteousness, and he delivers his body from a fall.
18 He keepeth back his said from the pit, and his life from passing away by a weapon.
He spares also his soul from death, and [suffers] him not to fall in war.
19 Or he is chastised with pain, upon his bed, and, the strife of his bones, is unceasing!
And again, he chastens him with sickness on his bed, and the multitude of his bones is benumbed.
20 So that his life maketh loathsome [his] food, and his soul, dainty meat;
And he shall not be able to take any food, though his soul shall desire meat;
21 His flesh wasteth away out of sight, and bared are the bones once unseen;
until his flesh shall be consumed, and he shall show his bones bare.
22 So doth his soul draw near to the pit, and his life to the inflicters of death:
His soul also draws near to death, and his life is in Hades.
23 If there hath been near him a messenger who could interpret—one of a thousand, to declare to the son of earth His uprightness,
Though there should be a thousand messengers of death, not one of them shall wound him: if he should purpose in his heart to turn to the Lord, and declare to man his fault, and show his folly;
24 Then hath he shewed him favour, and said, Set him free from going down to the pit, I have found a price of redemption!
he will support him, that he should not perish, and will restore his body as [fresh] plaster upon a wall; and he will fill his bones with morrow.
25 His flesh hath been made fresher than a child’s, he hath returned to the days of his youth;
And he will make his flesh tender as that of a babe, and he will restore him amongst men in [his] full strength.
26 He made supplication unto GOD, who hath accepted him, and he hath beheld his face with a shout of triumph, Thus hath he given back to man his righteousness.
And he shall pray to the Lord, and his prayer shall be accepted of him; he shall enter with a cheerful countenance, with a full expression [of praise]: for he will render to men [their] due.
27 He sang before men, and said, I sinned, and, uprightness, I perverted, yet he requited me not;
Even then a man shall blame himself, saying, What kind of things have I done? and he has not punished me according to the full amount of my sins.
28 He hath ransomed my soul from passing away into the pit, —and, my life, in the light, shall have vision.
Deliver my soul, that it may not go to destruction, and my life shall see the light.
29 Lo! a these things, doth GOD work, two ways, three, with a man;
Behold, all these things, the Mighty One works in a threefold manner with a man.
30 To bring back his soul from the pit, to enlighten with the light of the living.
And he has delivered my soul from death, that my life may praise him in the light.
31 Mark well, O Job, and hearken to me, Be silent, and, I, will speak:
Listen, Job, and hear me: be silent, and I will speak.
32 If there is anything to say, reply to me, Speak, for I desire to justify thee;
If you have words, answer me: speak, for I desire you to be justified.
33 If not, do, thou, hearken unto me, Be silent, that I may teach thee wisdom.
If not, do you hear me: be silent, and I will teach you.
